


Waywards

by ThreeColours



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Adventure & Romance, F/M, Friendship, Time Skips, Time Travel, Time Travel Fix-It
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-09
Updated: 2020-12-18
Packaged: 2021-03-10 05:42:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,543
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27979062
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThreeColours/pseuds/ThreeColours
Summary: A look into the dynamics of the first wizarding war, revolving around the friendships and the trials, the love and the loss. Not to despair though, there is a great source of knowledge being dropped in their laps.
Relationships: James Potter/Lily Evans Potter, Sirius Black/Hermione Granger
Comments: 21
Kudos: 53





	1. A Grand Entrance

It was the early hours of a new day, in a perfectly circular office impossibly attached to the top of a tower, where an old man sat with a most peculiar item hovering above his desk. His shining blue eyes, behind half-moon spectacles, were focused as he guided a single thread into what most closely resembled a silver cigarette lighter. It was as thin as a single strand of hair and seemed utterly devoid of light. Once the thread was completely nestled in the silver case, he grabbed the object and flicked it open. All the lights were sucked in and the lid snapped shut. The room was now in shadow save for the soft light of the rising sun peering in through the windows. The man sighed and leaned back in his chair. He was old, very old. He had long silver hair and seemed to be in the process of growing a beard to match it in length.

“Is that it Dumbeldore? Is that all your newest invention can do?” piped up a voice from one of the portraits on the wall.

“It appears so, Phineas,” Chuckled the one called Dumbeldore, looking at the portrait with an amused expression. “I must admit, I was aiming for something a little bit different.”

“Doesn’t the headmaster of Hogwarts have more important things to tend to?” Bit back the portrait. He was a clever looking wizard with silver eyes and a displeased look etched on his face. 

“Why indeed,” sighed the old wizard, “but I am old enough to have earned the right to indulge myself at times.” He moved to click it again when there was an eerie green light as if a lightning bolt struck the grounds outside.

“Oh does that little object of yours do that as well? If so I take back what I said, that was quite impressive.” called out the portrait. 

But Dumbeldore had already moved towards the window overlooking the vast lake and the forest beyond. His phoenix that until now was perched on a stand had flown towards the old headmaster and was circling over his head. He lifted his hand and grabbed the feathers and they both flew out the window towards the spot that the light had struck.

\---

On the other side of the castle, unaware of the strange happenings outside, the school mediwitch walked up to the only occupied bed in the hospital wing. It was still early but her patient was awake and restless. “How are you feeling Mr. Fenwick?”

“I’m quite alright, Madam Pomfrey. I should probably head down to the Great Hall for breakfast.” The boy said with a hopeful look in his blue eyes. 

“Nonsense, you took a bludger to the head and fell off your broom,” reprimanded the nurse. “Your leg has healed nicely but I want you to stay here for a little longer.” 

Before he could voice his objections, the door to the hospital wing was swung open and the headmaster walked in. An unconscious body of a girl, covered with blood and dirt was levitating in front of him. Her brown hair was singed at the ends and her face and hands were covered with scratches and bruises. “Poppy, I believe your expertise are needed rather urgently.” Dumbeldore said as he lowered the girl on one of the beds.

“Albus? What happened?” exclaimed Madam Pomfrey, rushing to her newest patient.

“I’m not quite certain.” Dumbeldore’s eyes were fixed on the girl with a contemplative look.

The nurse was moving her wand over the girl’s body, her lips pressed in a thin line. “She isn’t a student.” She whispered, looking at the headmaster with questioning eyes. Dumbeldore shook his head. In a louder voice Madam Pomfrey called out, “Would you make yourself useful Mr. Fenwick, and bring the case of potions from my office?” 

Benjy scrambled to his feet and went to retrieve said items, not wanting to be on the receiving end of the nurse’s foul disposition whenever she was particularly worried about a patient. As he approached the pair he could hear Madam Pomfrey whispering “... found her here! But that’s -” she stopped abruptly just as Benjy reached the bed. 

Madam Pomfrey grabbed the potions and with a flick of her wand the curtains around the girl’s bed were drawn. Benjy was standing there rather awkwardly. He looked up at Professor Dumbeldore but the old headmaster was deep in thought, his eyes still fixed on the spot where the girl was, now hidden behind curtains. Where did he find her and what had happened to her, he wondered. His musing was interrupted by a loud gasp. A moment later the nurse pulled back the curtains looking stricken. 

“Albus, you need to see this,” was Madam pomfrey’s strained voice. Dumbeldore moved towards the bed and glanced at what had the nurse looking as though she had swallowed something very bitter. “Who would do such a thing, Albus?”

“I think that, Poppy, we both know the answer to that question..” Dumbeldore sighed, his expression grim. “I leave her in your care, I must make some enquiries. Call for me as soon as she wakes.” Dumbeldore turned to leave but spared one last look from behind his glasses at Benjy. “Mr. Fenwick, might I suggest that we keep the events of this morning to ourselves, it would be… unwise to draw too much attention.”

“Of course Professor, I understand.” Benjy replied, with a nod, Dumbeldore left the hospital wing in haste. He was still standing there when Madam Pomfrey finally drew back the curtains, her expression concerned. The girl was now wearing a hospital gown and she looked awfully pale and thin. “Is she going to be alright?” Benjy asked with a frown.

Madam Pomfrey, who had busied herself with straightening the bed sheets, looked at him as though she had forgotten he was still there. “I believe so Fenwick.”

“Is there anything else I can do, Madam Pomfrey?”

“Yes, you can go back to bed and rest. I shall bring you some breakfast shortly.” The nurse said not unkindly and moved back towards her office.

Benjy stood for a few moments longer contemplating the girl. He was sure she wasn’t a student here but she seemed to be around his age. With a sigh he walked towards his own bed. He figured it would only be a matter of time before the war began to creep inside the walls of Hogwarts.


	2. Chapter 2

Unconsciousness reluctantly loosened its grip on the girl lying on the bed. Her eyelids felt heavy, hesitant to open and face reality. There was a stream of sounds assaulting her ears. It was after quite some time that she began to recognise them as words. She forced her eyelids to open. “Madam Pomfrey?” she asked, recognising the blurry face of the matron. “what happened? Where’s...Oh gods Harry...Where’s Harry?” her voice cracking, she looked around frantically, but the hospital wing was empty, her bed the only occupied one.

If Madam Pomfrey was shocked at being addressed by her name she did not show it. “You need to calm down Miss. You’re safe here.”

“Safe?” she asked, confused. “What happened? Where’s Ron?” She attempted to sit up on her bed with a wince. Her whole body felt stiff and sore.

“You were unconscious for two days, it might take you some time to regain your bearings.” Madam Pomfrey said in an attempt to calm her down. “You must take it slow, there is quite enough damage done as it is.”

“Two days?” she gasped. “But where is… where is everyone else?”

“Drink this, it will help," she instructed, pouring a dark green potion for her. "I must urge you to eat more and get plenty of rest if you want to make a full recovery.” 

She took the glass absentmindedly, “Madam Pomfrey, I need to know what happened after… after Harry.”

The nurse pursed her lips, “I’m afraid I don’t know what happened to you” she looked up and noticed the approaching figure, “but the headmaster might have more information.” 

Her mind went blank when she followed the nurse’s gaze and her eyes fell on the tall and silver Albus Dumbeldore, standing some distance away, his blue eyes studying her intently. 

“Professor Dumbeldore?” She said breathlessly. 

“Ah, I believe I’m yet again at a disadvantage. Personally, I blame the chocolate frog cards, but, and I hope this stays between us, I do consider them my greatest accomplishment.” His conspiratorial whisper was met with an expression of complete bewilderment.

As she looked at the piercing blue eyes, it felt as though the basilisk was not the only creature with the power to petrify. “I… I really don’t understand.”

“Albus,” Madam Pomfrey said with a warning tone. 

“Well it seems as though we have that in common,” Dumbeldore said. “I would very much like to give you a chance to explain who you are and how you ended up in Hogwarts.” 

“Am I dead, Professor?” she asked, her voice shaky.

Dumbeldore looked at her with raised eyebrows, his expression kinder than it was moments ago. “Not that I have any experience with the matter, but I would be sorely disappointed if in death, I ended up in the hospital wing with myself as company. No, I am quite certain, as much as anyone can be, of course, that we are indeed in the land of the living.” When she did not seem entirely convinced, Dumbeldore continued softly. “Perhaps we can start with your name.”

“This can’t be real. It simply can’t be. It must be a curse or...or a head injury. I need to…” She pulled the duvet aside and attempted to stand.

The nurse caught her as she wobbled on unsteady legs. “Your body was beyond the point of exhaustion, not to mention severely malnourished. You need to rest.” 

She looked at the familiar nurse with panicked eyes “I think I’m hallucinating, Madam Pomfrey.” she whispered. “Perhaps it’s a side-effect of something. I’m not exactly sure what’s happened but please, will you help me find Ron and the others?” 

“Tell me your name, dear. Then we’ll see what we can do.” 

“I’m Hermione Granger.” She said imploringly. 

“MADAM POMFREY! Oh, good morning Professor Dumbeldore.” shouted a voice from the entrance, making Hermione jump. Two girls, both wearing Hogwarts robes with Gryffindor colours, walked through the door of the hospital wing. One of them had purple boils all over her hands. “There was another incident in potions,” the other explained. 

“This is the second time in as many weeks, Miss Jones.” reprimanded the nurse as she walked towards the two girls, but not before sharing a knowing look with the headmaster.

Something about the normality of the situation caught Hermione completely off-guard. The school should be in ruins, there was no way classes would resume after what had happened. She looked up at the person whose funeral she had attended about a year ago.

Something in her expression must have expressed her overwhelming confusion, causing Dumbeldore to give her a questioning look. “I think it best if we continue this in private, Miss Granger.”

\---

Dumbeldore’s office really had a magnificent view; the Black Lake and the hills beyond to one side and the Forbidden Forest to the other. Looking out the window, Hermione was transfixed. There was no sign of the battle, no trace of the carnage of rubble and blood. Instead the grounds were peaceful, a few students were sat by the lake, and Hagrid was making his way into the forest. 

Dumbeldore decided it was time to address the girl, who seemed to be looking intently at the spot where he had found her not two days ago. “You seemed to have been attacked, Miss Granger, and most unexpectedly, you simply appeared outside the Forbidden Forest. Now you might not be aware but it -” 

“It’s impossible to apparate in or out of Hogwarts.” Hermione interrupted, almost out of habit. 

“Then would you care to explain how you managed to do exactly that?” As the headmaster waited for a response, he studied the girl. She was pale and her folded arms were held tightly but her brows were furrowed as if he had asked her a particularly difficult question in class and she was thinking of the correct answer. “This is not a feat one can overlook.” he continued, “the wards of Hogwarts have never been breached so you see my need to find out if there are… malicious forces involved. I do not want any harm to come to my students.” 

“I really wish I could explain, sir, but if I am not dead, then the most logical explanation is that this is all in my head. Perhaps a head injury, or… or insanity.” she said, taking deep breaths to battle the rising panic.

“It would be quite peculiar then for your mind to recreate Hogwarts, wouldn’t it?” Dumbeldore lifted his eyebrows knowingly. “I never forget a student, Miss Granger. It would be my understanding that you have not been here before.”

Eyes wide, She turned to the headmaster who had ventured to stand behind his desk, on top of which she spotted a wand and her beaded bag.

Catching her line of sight, Dumbeldore continued. “I found a most curious bag on your person. Might I say that the undetectable extension charm was exceptionally done. I hope you forgive my prying, but it piqued my interest.” He took out a small well worn book from her bag. It was one that Hermione had spent hours and hours reading in the past months, wanting to solve its mystery. 

“Are you familiar with The Tales of Beedle the Bard?” 

Hermione nodded with teary-eyes. It was a peculiar feeling, discussing the book someone had given you in their will with said person.

“How did this particular copy come to be in your possession?” Dumbeldore inquired softly.

A long silence followed his question. Finally, with tears down her eyes, Hermione answered “from you."

“Curious, very curious.” Dumbeldore said gravely. “Time is a most peculiar subject, isn’t it?"

Shocked, she looked at the headmaster, shaking her head vigorously. “I’ve experience with time-turners but they were all destroyed.” Hermione felt herself panicking. “This cannot be possible!” 

“At times what is possible or impossible is irrelevant, and we must first concern ourselves with what is. And what I know for a fact is that here I hold a book while another is currently in my vault, where it has been for quite some time.” Dumbeldore responded, “not to mention how the dates on some of the rather numerous books in your possession have yet come to pass.”

Hermione took a deep breath, hoping to steady her rattled thoughts. “Is it even safe for me to be here talking to you? Terrible things happen to those who meddle with time.” 

“Time magic is unpredictable, for time, in its very essence, is inherently fluid. There are those who dedicate their entire lives to its study. The future, as we like to call it, is not something that simply exists, it is weaved by each and every one of us through each and every moment. The closest we have come to messing with it is with the invention of time-turners. They create a small loop and therefore two actions occur simultaneously, two sets of decisions happening at the same time.” Dumbeldore explained as he looked at the girl, wide-eyed and shaking, standing there silently. "Correct me if I’m wrong, but I do not believe your situation was the effect of a time turner.”

“No” she responded softly, closing her eyes as the image of skewed glasses and the feeling of utter desperation that it brought up, all ending with an eerie flash of green light.

The old wizard looked at the girl standing there with wide eyes looking lost and unsteady but he pushed on “then, Miss Granger, how is it that you happen to find yourself in 1981?”


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, friends! How is everyone? Thought I'd say hi to whoever is out there. If you read this or comment or leave kudos then thank you, I hope you enjoy it. If not then that's ok too, there are lots and lots of great content out there. I'm very much a novice at this whole writing anything other than an academic essay concept. I wrote bits of this story more than a year ago during a bit of a stagnant time in my life but never thought I'd post it anywhere. Doing so was a bit of an impulse, particularly as I've got a master's thesis to finish! So if things are a bit irregular in the next month or two I apologise, I literally have no time management skills. So yeah that's it from me, hope everyone is staying safe out there. Take care of yourselves xx

Albus Dumbeldore found himself in the Great Hall of Hogwarts. It was a place he knew rather well, could very possibly draw its likeness in his sleep in painstaking detail, having spent much of his life traipsing about. During his days as a student, then a teacher, and now as the headmaster, he’d witnessed the hall in every imaginable scenario. Overflowing with energy and excitement on the first of September, festive and cheerful with dozens of Christmas trees about, cold and gloomy at the height of the Scotish winter, and on a most memorable occasion completely filled with foam during a particularly ingenious prank.

The scene that greeted him was beyond his worst nightmare. The house tables were gone, either partially destroyed or haphazardly pushed to the sides. There was rubble everywhere, the walls bearing the marks of damage and destruction. The enchanted ceiling had dulled, showing the pre-dawn sky clouded with smoke. Dead bodies were laid in a long row in the middle of the hall. 

Of all those lying there, some he recognised, some he didn’t. But they were all so young. Many were noticeably students, still in their uniforms adorning the colours of each house, being laid to rest in a place that was supposed to keep them safe and help them grow.

To one side Madam Pomfrey was tending to the injured on a raised platform. He spotted his transfiguration professor by the entrance, finding it oddly reassuring that at least Minerva was there through it all. Some distance away, a group of students were huddled around Aberforth, Dumbeldore was surprised to see.

His eyes were drawn to a familiar group of redheads, easily recognising the grief stricken figures of Molly and Arthur surrounded by their grown up children, one noticeably lying motionless on the ground. Next to them was the girl whose memory he was immersed in, wearing the same clothes he had found her in not two days ago outside the forest. She was crouched down next to a female he did not recognise, using her sleeve to clean the dirt and ash on the bright pink strands of hair. But looking at the body of the man next to her he recognised an older Remus Lupin, looking more worn than he ever recalled seeing.

Seeing the bodies of the dead was just as bad as noticing those that were absent from the scene. He himself was very obviously missing but Dumbeldore did not dwell on that much. Alastor was not one to balk from an event like this and neither would Edgar. The Prewett twins would have definitely not let Molly and their nephews to be here without them. Unless. If Remus was here then Dumbeldore would bet his favourite pair of socks that Sirius Black, James Potter, and Peter Pettigrew would not let him go alone. Unless.

A terrible hissing voice echoed through the air. “Harry Potter is dead. The battle is won. Come out of the castle, now, kneel before me, and you shall be spared.” 

Understanding dawned on Dumbeldore. He rushed outside and came face to face with a sickly pale figure clad in black robes. Lord Voldemort was standing in front of his Death Eaters, as they emerged from the tree line of the Forbidden Forest. He looked barely human, vastly different from the boy he remembered from Hogwarts, or the man who had come to ask about the DADA position.

Hagrid was gently placing the body of a boy with messy black hair and round glasses on the ground. If he had not heard the name but a moment ago he would be sure that he was looking at none other than James Potter. 

“NO!” he heard Minerva cry out, a gutteral desperate sound he had never expected to hear from her. It was joined by other cries as the occupants of the Great Hall were slowly making their way outside.

“NO!”

“NO!”

“Harry! HARRY!”

“SILENCE” cried Voldemort. “It is over. You have all placed your faith in the wrong person. Harry Potter is no more.” As if to demonstrate he pointed his wand at the body, “crucio,” but it did not move.

“NO! Stay away from him.” One of the Weasley children shouted and Dumbeldore watched as he ran forward and knelt by the body. “Harry, Harry, get up mate. Come on.” he pleaded but to no avail.

“And who is this?” Voldemort said, in his soft snake’s hiss.

“A Weasley, my Lord.” One of the Death Eaters offered. “A whole bunch of blood traitors.”

“RON. Ron. NO!” Hermione screamed and thrashed In the tight grip of a man he knew as auror Shacklebolt, holding her back.

Voldemort tilted his head to one side, “have you come to swear your loyalty to me now that your hero is dead?”

“Never.” he said, looking up defiantly. 

“I see you wish to join your friend. Very well then. Let it never be said that I’m not a merciful lord.”

Dumbeldore watched as several things happened at once. Voldemort raised his wand, pointed it at the young man. At that moment the girl freed herself from Shacklebolt's hold and sprinted towards the redhead. Then there was a burst of green light and everything went black.


End file.
